At present, "discount coupons" are identified during manual redemption. Discount coupons are low-value coupons such as those printed in newspapers or magazines for sales campaigns, which are to be cut out or removed for redemption at the time of purchase.
A number of research workers attempted to automate such an identification by using the signals provided by the difference in colors on the faces of the coupons, but all these systems necessitate the previous orientation of the coupons.
These systems have several disadvantages: firstly, the time employed by a person in suitably orienting the coupons is relevant with respect to the value of the discount coupons, that is, the cost involved in evaluating the discount coupons with the known machines is too high with respect to their real value; and secondly, substantial mistakes are brought about by tedious procedures such as the orientation of the coupons.
It is the object of the present invention to avoid such sources of mistakes, and to insure a positive control of discount coupons, playing cards, and the like.
The process according to the present invention comprises the steps of sequentially scan reading individual zones making up the surface of a discount coupon or the like; converting the signals corresponding to the various color depths to an algorithmic function or "word"; and comparing such a word with a "sample word" corresponding to a "sample coupon" previously introduced into a comparing memory.
An apparatus for carrying such a process into effect is also within the field of the present invention, and comprises a "dictionary" memory including sample words corresponding to a plurality of sample coupons; means for inserting a preselected sample word into a comparing memory; means for reading the surfaces of a coupon under test according to zones making up its surfaces; and processing means for converting signals of the surfaces that are read into a single significant word and supplying it to the comparing memory for comparison with the sample word previously inserted therein.